Donald A. Schaefer, 93, passed away peacefully at Marin General Hospital, Greenbrae, Calif. Jan. 23, 2019.
Donald was born on March 7, 1925, in Evanston, Illinois. He was the son of Lawrence Peter Schaefer and Madeline (Hopkins) Schaefer deceased.
Donald was formerly married to Lois Kunze in 1948 and divorced in 1964. He remarried Renate Sommernitz, 1965 until her death Jan. 22, 2014.
Donald is survived by: his brother, Peter, 96; three sons, Skip (Donald Jr.), Kurt, and Eddie; and five grandchildren, Scott, Mark, Leah, Matt, and Sam.
World War II U.S. Naval Officer-Ensign, he served in the Pacific.
He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Colgate University in 1946.
Career: salesman, Ryerson Steel, 1947-48; worked for Prentice Hall Book Publishing Co. 1949 to 1984. Positions held were salesman, Minneapolis and San Francisco, 1949-1954; San Francisco district sales manager, 1954 to ’56; western regional manager, 1956 to 1967; executive editor, Englewood Cliffs, 1967 to ’69; editor-in-chief, 1969 to ’71; president, college text book division, 1971-1980; director since 1974; president and CEO, 1980 to ’83; CEO, 1983 to ’84. Worked for Thompson International Publishing Co. as chairman and CEO from 1984 to 1989, then chairman of Thompson Chief Reference Group from 1989 until he retired in 1990.
Former trustee Englewood Hospital. Former member and president of Knickerbocker Country Club. Former member of the American Association of Book Publishers, Colgate University Alumni President’s Club and James B. Colgate Society.
Donald was a longtime believer in the value of an education. He provided financial support to his three sons and grandchildren as they pursued advanced education degrees. He saw that they were debt free upon graduation. Donald was an avid golfer and had terrific sense of humor.
Despite spending a great deal of time on the road way from his family as he pursued his professional career, he more than made up for it in his later years. Every other year for the past 30 years he planned and paid for complete Schaefer family reunions—usually at beautiful U.S. National Parks.
On the opposite years, Donald and just his sons would go on fishing trips from Alaska to Mexico.
His family is thankful for the great love and care their dad and family received while he lived at Sunrise Assisted Living, Tenafly, Drake Terrace Assisted Living, San Rafael, Calif. and briefly at Marin Convalescent Hospital, Tiburon, Calif.
The family also thanks Mark M. and his staff at Valley Memorial Park, Novato, Calif. for helping them with funeral arrangements.
Donald will be laid to rest next to Renate at Brookside Cemetery, Englewood (thank you Stephen Huber).
The family planned to have a celebration of life luncheon Friday at Clinton Inn. Contact: skipaschaefer[at]gmail.com for specific details.
